Explain that a work of fiction does not relate something that actually happened, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen. A work of fiction may combine elements of things that happened to the author, but not all at the same time or in the same order. Compare and contrast an autobiographical story and a fictional story. The children may point out that it is often difficult to know whether a story is fictional or true.
Explain that a fictional story has a main character or characters and minor characters. Demonstrate that the characters may be human, animal, some form of animated life, or a mixture of character types. Help the children identify with and support the protagonist, the main character who embodies the story, and realize that the antagonist opposes the protagonist. Point out how the events of the story cause a change in the protagonist’s thoughts or personality through conflict.
Demonstrate how the plot tells the story and reveals the protagonist and antagonist through conflict. Explain that the author may develop the plot through a series of chronological events, or she may add flashbacks that reveal previous actions that impact the present. Follow a story and point out how the conflicts further the story and move it toward a resolution. Make a list of each plot action and how it affected the protagonist.
The author creates a setting for the story that includes a place and a time. Help the children identify where a story takes place and when. The setting may use symbols to further the story such as a dark forest at night to create a sense of fear and anticipation of evil. Ask the children how the setting makes them feel. Illustrate how other settings create different feelings.
The story's point of view determines how a story is told. A first person point of view tells the story from the perspective of the main character. A third person point of view presents the story through a narrator who sees and knows all, revealing the events and thoughts of the characters through the plot. Provide examples of several stories and ask the children to identify which point of view the author uses. Have a child tell a story about his dog from the dog's point of view and then tell the same story from his own point of view. Explain that both illustrate first person point of view. Ask another child to relate a story from the third person point of view.
The fictional story's theme weaves all the elements together to achieve the author’s goal. Stress that stories may have more than one theme. Explain that the theme of “Snow White” and “Cinderella,” for example, affirm that true love and goodness triumph over evil. Point out other common themes in familiar stories. Have the children read a story and list the themes they found.